cyprus art news - 3 - French/Turkish Cypriot Cultural Centre in Nicosia

Heidi Trautmann

3 - French/Turkish Cypriot Cultural Centre in Nicosia 2/10/2009 French/Turkish Cypriot Cultural Centre in Nicosia If you are interested to study the French language, or speak French and are interested in the culture and regular events, then read my short article I wrote on the inauguration of the new building: “L’association culturelle franco-chypriote turque” invited last week friends and interested people to join them for the inauguration of their new home at Dervish Pasha Sokak 4 in the Arabahmet quarter. What a beautiful old typical Ottoman house, two-storied, renovated during the past eight months with the aid of the French Government and SAVE, an American project. The gates to the lovely inner court yard were wide open for the people to listen to the many honorary guests speak at the occasion of inauguration. There were H.E. the French Ambassador Nicholas Galey, H.E. the American Ambassador Frank C. Urbancic, followed by the Chief of the SAVE project, Barbara Rossmiller, the Lefkosa Deputy Özdül Naim, the President of the French cultural centre Kemal Dorum and the Vice-President Biran Merkan, all emphasizing the French heritage in Cyprus and the importance of intercultural exchange. I talked to Barbara Rossmiller who is the chief of the SAVE 4-year-project funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID/Cyprus). “SAVE is part of an overall assistance programme called the Cyprus Partnership for Economic Growth (Cy-PEG). The project began on September 20, 2005 and will run through September 19, 2009. Our main fields of interest are cultural heritage activities and environment activities, especially water management. (I refer to their recently published brochure “How does your garden grow in Cyprus”) In this case we have funded the renovation with US$ 47.000 which represents 40%, and the French Embassy funded the remaining 60%. It is a worthy project and it fulfills our requirements of support.” This beautiful house with several class rooms, a library, offices and exhibition hall, was once built by an Armenian priest in 1896. It was sold to the Münür family and has since then been in their property. “As it was unused”, the niece of the present owner told me, “my uncle who I went into the secretarial office where I talked to Gülten Demirci, the soul of the place. “Besides language courses we will have cultural events such as films, music, and information evenings. You can always call us under 228 3328. I filled in the forms and became an official member paying a fee of YTL 20 for a year. In the yard the many students of the last course were given their certificates. They looked very happy. On Februar 2, there was a pantomime evening which I unfortunately missed.